Electrical connector



July 11, 1950 K. R. RUNDE 2,514,418

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 16, 1946 /N VENT'OK FIG.4

KENNETH R. RUNDE .Br W,

Patented July 11, 1950 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Kenneth R. Runde, Lemay, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 16, 1946, Serial No. 648,087

7 Claims. (01. 24-135) This invention relates generally to electrical connectors which are adapted for use in mechanically and electrically connecting wires and other electrical conductors, and more specifically to electrical connectors of the type which comprises a bolt having a slot formed longitudinally therein, and a nut and follower assembly which is mounted on said bolt in such manner that the nut moves screwthreadedly of the bolt and the follower moves with said nut longitudinally of the slot of the bolt to clamp electrical conducting means between a portion of the follower and a portion of the bolt, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a connector of the type described above which includes a follower that is of such improved construction and arrangement that spring pressure is applied at all times to conducting means clamped by the connector so as to insure good electrical contact between clamped conducting means and between clamped conducting means and the connector.

It has been found in the use of connectors of the general type to which this invention relates, that due to the softness of the material forming elements clamped by the connectors, or because of by vibration of suspended wires, or expansion of the connectors due to temperature changes, said connectors frequently become loosened in use so that good electrical contact between the connected elements and parts of the connectors is i not obtained. The prime purpose of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved connector which includes a follower which is made from inherently resilient material and which is so constructed and so arranged in the connector assembly that positive spring pressure is exerted against the clamped elements at all times during the use of the connector. Because of this arrangement, positive electrical contact is provided between elements connected by the connector, and between said elements and part of the connector, when the nut of the connector is drawn up tight, and this positive electrical contact between the clamped elements, and between the clamped elements and part of the connector, is maintained by the improved follower of the connector if for any reason any looseness of the connector develops in use.

Fig. 1 is a, side elevational view of the improved connector of the present invention, showing in section electrical conducting elements, which are illustrated as being clamped by the connector.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 'Z2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the improved follower of connector of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the follower of the present invention is formed.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates in Figs. 1 and 2, the improved connector generally. The connector A of the views mentioned includes a bolt l which is provided with a slot 2 that extends longitudinally of the shank portion of the bolt, said slot being open at its sides and at the outer end of the shank portion of the bolt, and at the end of the slot opposite to the open end thereof said slot terminates in a Wire seat 3 which is formed at the inner portion of the head of the bolt. The formation of the slot 2 in the shank portion of the bolt l' provides said bolt with apair of spaced legs la and lb which are screwthreaded at their outer surfaces, as is shown in Fig. 1, and mounted on said spaced legs I is an assembly comprised of a nut 4 and a follower 5.

The nut 4 and the follower 5 are permanently associated with each other in such manner that the nut may rotate relative to the follower. The nut is a standard nut and the follower is formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is substantially W-shaped, as is shown to good advantage in Figs. 2 and 3. In other words, the follower 5 is provided with a pair of opposed, outwardly extended flange portion 6a and 6b which overlie the top face 4 of the nut 4, and extended downwardly through the bore of the nut from the inner ends of said flange portions are outer parts la. and lb. The outer parts 16L and 1b extend entirely through the bore of the nut and project downwardly beneath the lower face of the nut, and the lower portions of said outer parts la. and lb are curved outwardly, as is indicated at 10 and 1d in Fig. 2, so that the'overall distance between the outer faces of the outwardly curved lower parts 10 and Id of the'opposed follower parts 7a and lb is greater than the diameter of the bore of the nut 4, whereby the nut and follower are maintained in assembled relation. The outwardly curved lower parts 1c and Id of the opposed follower parts Ta. and lb merge into inwardly curved, lower follower portions 8a. and 8b, and these inwardly curved portions 8a and 8b in turn merge into upwardly extended inner follower parts 911 and 91), said upwardly extended follower parts 911 and 9b being joined at their upper ends by an upwardly curved bridge portion In. It is important to note that when the follower 5 is in its normal, untensioned condition,

as is shown in Fig. 3, the top-most part of the upwardly curved, bridge portion of said follower is in a higher plane than are the top faces 60 and 6d of the flange portions to, and b of the follower.

The nut and follower assembly of the improved connector A, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted on the bolt I of said connector so that the nut 4 embraces the spaced legs la and lb of said bolt with the screwthreads of the bore of the nut engaging the screwthreads of said spaced legs of said connector bolt, and with the follower 5 disposed within the slot 2 of the bolt l of the connector. With the nut and follower assembly of the connector so associated with the bolt of the connector, the nut 4 may be adjusted screwthreadedly of the shank of the bolt,.longitudinal- 1y thereof, and during such adjustment of the nut with respect to the shank of the bolt the follower 5 will travel longitudinally of the slot 2 of the bolt, and within said slot, toward and from the wire seat 3. I

In the use of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the connector is arranged so that the wires B, or other elements to be connected by the connector, pass through the upper portion of the slot 2 of the bolt l of the connector. The nut and follower assembly is then screwed upwardly with respect to the shank of the bolt 1% to clamp the wires B between the wire seat 3 of the bolt and the resilient bridge portion ill of the follower '5 and between said wire seat and the flange portions 60; and 6b of said follower. It is important to note that because the bridge portion 10 of the follower 5 extends above the plane occupied by the opposed flange portions Ba and 6b of the follower, the action of drawing the nut up tight enough to cause said flange portions 6a and 6b of thefollower to closely contact with the lowermost of the wires B, will cause the bridge portion of the follower to be forced downwardly because of its contact with said lower most of the wires B. The result of this situation will be that the entire resilient follower is placed under considerable tension, and due to the tendency for the follower, when so tensioned, to resume its untensioned position where the bridge portion Ill thereof is elevated above the flange portions 6a and 6b of said follower, the wires B are forced together by said follower bridge portion with such pressure that positive electrical contact is obtained between the wires themselves and between the upper wire and the wire seat 3 of the connector bolt.

It is obvious, therefore, that in the use of the improved connector illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the tendency for the connector to become loose due to vibration of the wires, or for any other reason, is eliminated, as the bridge portion ii) of the follower 5 takes up any looseness that may develop by continuing to force the wires 13 into close contact with each other and with the wire seat 3 of the bolt of the connector.

It has been found heretofore in the use of the split-bolt connectors of the general type of the connector disclosed herein, that under certain circumstances the spaced legs of the split bolts are inclined to collapse slightly, or in other words move toward each other, when the nuts are drawn up tight, this being particularly true when stranded cables are being connected by the connectors' To avoid any likelihood that such collapsing of the spaced legs la and lb of the bolt l of the connector A of the present invention would cause the opposed portions 1c and 1d, the inwardly curved portions to and 8b, the upwardly extended portions 9a and 9b, and the bridge portion Ill of the follower 5 to be tightly gripped between the collapsed legs of the splitbolt, so as to rob the part of the follower comprised of said parts of its resiliency, I make the part of the follower which is comprised of said parts of reduced width. This is illustrated to good advantage in Fig.4 whereini5a designates generally a blank from which'the follower 5 is formed, 5b designates the opposite end portions of the blank from which the opposed follower portions fin -Sb and la-lb are formed, and 5c designates an intermediate blank portion from which the follower portions To and Id, 811 and 8b, 9a and 9b, and H) are formed.

If, for any reason, the spaced legs la and lb of the split bolt l of the connector of the present invention should collapse, parts of the wider portions of the follower, which comprise the follower portions la and lb, might be tightly gripped between the collapsed legs. However, such gripping ofthe wider parts of the follower between the legs of the split-bolt will arrest collapse of the legs, and will leave the narrower part of the follower, which comprises the follower portions 1c and id, 8a and 8b, 9a and 9b, and 10, free to perform its function of applying spring pressure to the connected elements, in the manner heretofore explained.

It is to be noted in Fig. 3 that the flange portions to and 6b of the follower 5 are slightly bowed when the follower is untensioned. By so bowing the flange portions 6a and 6b, any likelihood that the upper screwthreads of the nut will be injured by contact therewith of the curved follower portions at the inner ends of the flange portions, when the nut is bein drawn up tight. is avoided, because the flattening of the bowed flange portions, when the nut is being drawn up. will move said adjacent curved follower portions away from the upper screwthreads of the nut.

I claim:

l. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer porti'ons',"a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreadedadjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherentl resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nutdownwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the hit from the lower ends of said outer parts, and a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which, overlie the top face of the nut.

2. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said belt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut, and means for maintaining said nut and said follower in assembled relation.

3. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a, follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surf-aces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut, and means at the bottom of said follower for maintaining said nut and said follower in assembled relation.

4. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut, and means for maintaining said nut and said follower in assembled relation. the last-mentioned means comprising outwardly curved portions at the lower ends of said outer parts of the follower which are disposed beneath the lower face of the nut and give the bottom portion of the follower a width which is greater than the diameter of the bore of the nut.

5. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut, opposed outer portions of said strip of material of which said follower is formed being of greater width than the portion of said strip located inwardly of said opposed outer strip portions.

6. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, and a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut, said outer parts of said follower being of greater width than said inner parts and said bridge portion of the follower.

7. A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank portions screwthreaded at their outer portions, a nut screwthreadedly mounted on said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt for screwthreaded adjustment longitudinally thereof, and a follower formed from a strip of inherently resilient material which is assembled with said nut for movement therewith, said follower being disposed in part within the bore of the nut and being located largely between the spaced apart shank portions of said bolt, said follower including bowed portions which overlie the top face of said nut, outer parts which extend from said portions which overlie the top face of the nut downwardly through the bore of said nut, inner parts which extend upwardly through the bore of the nut from the lower ends of said outer parts, and a bridge portion which joins the upper ends of said inner parts and which is normally extended above the top surfaces of the follower portions which overlie the top face of the nut.

KENNETH R. RUNDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,943,677 Kearney Jan. 16, 1924 2,062,882 Heinrich Dec. 1, 1936 2,150,994 Tallman Mar. 21, 1939 2,164,075 ORuSSa June 27, 1939 

